Improvement in fifth-wheels for vehicles



N. P. NELSON.

Fifth-Wheels for Vehicles. No 1 49 509, 4 I Patented A ril 7,1874.

1i iinesses:

Im/ezfor HAM $6M MPI/OMi/ZHDMH/l/t cul Wammss l'kaL'ESS. 1 V

' proved fifth-wheel.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELS P. NELSON, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIFTH-WHEELS FOR VEHICLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 149,509, dated April7, 1874; application filed March 17, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NELS P. NELSON, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a certain Improvement inFitth-WVheels for Trucks, of which the following is a specification:

This invention consists in so constructing the fifth-wheel, orcircleupon which the forward wheels swivel, as will be more fully explained,that the said front wheels may accommodate themselves to the ruts andinequalities of road, the fifth-wheel being so made, as will appear,that the front axle may freely depart from the horizontal, as one or theother of the front wheels sinks into a rut, without wrenching the bodyor box of the wagon containing the load. I

In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a front view of the bolster and front axle-tree of awagon provided with my im- Fig. 2 is a side View of the same; and Fig. 3is a plan'view of the lower circle.

Like letters of reference made use of in different figures indicate likeparts.

In the said drawing, A represents the axletree. B is the bolster. G isthe king-pin. D is the upper and D the lower circle of the fifthwheel.The upper circle is a plain ring, with a central circular bearing, 01,projecting below its general plane sufficiently to rest upon a similarbearing, (1, of the lower circle. The lower circle is provided at frontand rear with the rounded raised portions 0, and at each side with theinclined projections ff. While the wagon is upon a level road the frontaxle stands horizontally. Should one of the front wheels drop into arut, the axle cants to that side without disturbing the bolster. Whenupon a level the circles are in contact at the points 6 and d d; Whenone of the wheels is ina rut the circles are in contact at the point for f, and also at the other points. The circles are free to turn uponeach other in any of these positions. The king-pin should have playenough to allow this oscillation. By thus allowing the front axle toconform to the level of the road without disturbing the boX, thatwrenching and twisting to which wagon bodies are commonly subject, andwhich so soon wears them out, are obviated. This feature is especiallyvaluable in heavy trucks, ice-wagons, and omnibuses. In wagons withoutsprings it takes the wrenching strain away from. the platform or box. Inwagons with springsit takes the wrenching strain from the springs.

Having described my invention, that which I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is.-

1. The combination of the upper circle provided with a central bearing,and the lower circle provided with a similar central bearing, and alsowith the rocker projections at front and rear, substantially asspecified.

2. The combination of the upper circle provided with a central bearing,and the lower circle provided with a similar central bearing, and alsowith the rocker projections at front and rear, and the inclinedprojections at the sides, substantially as specified.

, NELS P. NELSON.

- Witnesses:

LEwIs L. CoBURN, JOHN W. MUNDAY.

